Month: October 2023

Introduction to “The Shout”

The poem “The Shout” psychologically deals with the unrest and violence in society. The word shout is also very persuasive which expresses the gist of the poem. The poet says that the world was a peaceful place in the past. They had limited needs and limited greed. Therefore, violence was not rampant. He compares the past with the present and says that the world is crying over the injustice and cruelties perpetrated in the world in different shapes. The poem revolves around the shout of a boy who later loses his life and he is no more alive to raise his voice. The poet could hear his voice but now that voice has become silent. “The Shout”is ironic and indicates the incapacity of the world to maintain peace and safety of the people while lamenting the world’s policies to silence the voices which often emerge for peace and harmony among the people and nations of the world.

Innocence and “The Shout”

“The Shout”deals with both innocence of the boy and his violent death. He is seen playing with the poet and raising his voice so that it could reach the other side of the divide. The divide symbolizes the seas and his voice for peace could reach all the continents. Then suddenly, the poem takes a serious turn. The boy loses his life in a gunshot. It makes a hole in his mouth so that he could no more speak. The poem cynically looks at the world affairs. The poet himself says in his interview “I think we’re a crueler, more cynical place”. The growing population, burgeoning industrial progress, and growing selfishness among the people and the nations have upset the people psychologically.

The Message of “The Shout”

“The Shout”has a serious message in it. The shout in the poem is meant to awaken the people from their ignorance and slumber. Owing to this slumber, the world is getting more and more violent. In the present context, the poem seems more related when the menace of terrorism is nibbling the peace of the world. The poem seems to have gotten some inspiration from Edvard Munch’s “The Scream” painting. It was also created in the background which symbolizes violence, while screaming is a natural reaction to that. Therefore, this poem is a painting in verse form. The images like the school and the farm evoke feelings of civilization, awareness, and nature. The boy’s shout conveys the message of an innocent and an SOS call for this globe. The gun on the other hand suggests anti-peace elements which have silenced the voices. It shows its domination.

Poet and “The Shout”

Despite this, the poet does not seem disappointed. He knows that the boy’s voice and cry could no more be heard but he believes that its echoes will always reach the world. This voice and shout cannot be suppressed. Moreover, the poet believes that this shout will echo through different forms of arts and literature. Art and literature are very influential in making this world a safe place. All these forms of literature such as poetry, drama, music, and painting are essential for society. They reflect that particular society and reform its ills. All the other forms of reformation can be silenced but expression through literature can hardly be contained. Even in the strict Soviet era, the artists continued writing despite many obstacles.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, it can be said that the poem “The Shout” has shot directly at the world’s most important issue which is related to peace and security. Through an innocent boy’s shout, the poet wants to create a voice that may cross all seas and continents. The boy loses his life but his words resonate in the air and the poet can hear those words. It is a world that has become violent and terror-stricken. Nobody is secure, especially, in third-world countries. The poet does not lose heart and seems to continue his struggle for peace through his writings. The poem psychologically analyses the world’s situation and throws light on its current situation while maintaining hope that the shout will always resonate throughout the world.

Works Cited

1. Armitage, Simon. The Shout. Knopf, 2012.

Relevant Questions about “The Shout”

1. How does Simon Armitage employ narrative structure and point of view in “The Shout,” and what impact does this have on the reader’s understanding of the poem’s central themes and events?
2. In “The Shout,” what is the significance of the titular shout and its effects on the characters and the landscape? How does Armitage use sound and imagery to convey the power and mystery of this event?
3. Analyze the symbolism and metaphorical elements in “The Shout.” What do the various elements and objects in the poem, such as the rabbit, the gloves, and the stones, represent or signify in relation to the poem’s themes and messages?

Introduction to “Because I could not Stop for Death”

Emily Dickinson’s popular poem “Because I could not Stop for Death” is considered a masterpiece of the spiritual journey of a mystic from this world to the other world. Published posthumously in 1890 under the title of “The Chariot,” this poem brings into light the desire of the poet to welcome death, which is generally considered an unwelcomed companion. In fact, this poem tells a story personifying Death as a male companion. The woman, who happens to be the poet herself, sits with Death in the carriage to go to eternity. The gentleman, Death, takes her politely on the ride. However, against the conventions, there is also a strange and somewhat esoteric stranger in the carriage. This mysterious stranger is Immortality. The time given in the poem is of late-afternoon. The journey entails the carriage and all three passengers going through wheat fields, with the children playing in the ground and the setting sun. The journey seems a spiritual ride toward death which is not considered a good subject of poetry. However, it seems that the poet still remembers that this journey took place centuries ago. Although several themes have been woven into this spiritual strand, the most beautiful thing about this poem is that every incident, every turn, and every scene demonstrates the skill of using beautiful images, triggering a sort of mystic response from its readers. “Because I could not Stop for Death” shows imagery and figurative language, the spiritual journey toward Eternity, and the use of literary and poetic devices have added to the smooth reading and good comprehension of the poem.

Imagery and Figurative Language in “Because I could not Stop for Death”

Whereas the imagery and figurative language is concerned, “Because I could not Stop for Death” has ample evidences. The very title of the poem “Because I could not stop for Death” shows that “Death” has initial capitals which points to its being a proper noun and a person. This means that Dickinson has personified Death as an individual who takes her on a long ride. In his book, All Things Dickinson: An Encyclopedia of Emily Dickinson’s World, Wend Martin claims that this entire poem is an allegory in which the poet “ironically personifies death as a gentleman”, while the rest of the poem is woven around this theme. The metaphor of passing and the poet’s ambivalence toward this universal phenomenon of death lend an eerie atmosphere to the final imagery of the grave and graveyard (535). The ambivalence is perhaps embedded within the poet’s mind as well as in the poem itself because the double meanings of death a good as well as a deceitful companion becomes accentuated when the poem reaches the end. The images of “the School, Fields of Gazing Grain, the Setting Sun, the Dews, the Ground, A Swelling in the Ground” are enough to point out the use of images intended to enhance its specific meanings. The expertise of the poet could be gauged from the fact that she has used highly informal language used in everyday conversation and that too as if it is a dialogue between the poet and Death, her friend. Yet, this has not marred the spiritual quality of the poem. Rather, this colloquial diction has enhanced the seriousness of the message of the poem such as, “We paused before a House that seemed / A Swelling of the Ground” where this becomes very somber that now it is the grave where they have paused (17-18).

Presentation of Spiritual Journey in “Because I could not Stop for Death”

Another interpretation of the poem “Because I could not stop for Death” is the presentation of a spiritual journey from life to death and from the physical to the spiritual world. However, this journey is contrary to common journeys that poets narrate regarding their spiritual odysseys. In fact, this is a very simple journey having profound symbolic meanings. If death and immortality in small letters are taken from a Christian perspective, it means a person goes with death to have a better place to live in paradise. The time becomes irrelevant when a person dies. As Dickinson has pointed out in the last lines that “Since then-’tis Centuries-”, it means this is the journey from transience to eternity. However, another interpretation points to Death as a male suitor taking the poet away from this humdrum of life. The poet has presented this suitor very beautifully as a kind person who comes and takes her on the final journey. This represents her love for Death which other common people dread to think. Commenting on this aspect of the poem, Charles Anderson argues “Although she was aware this is a last ride, since his ‘Carriage’ can only be a hearse, its terror is subdued by the ‘Civility’ of the driver who is merely serving the end of ‘Immortality” (Anderson). However, the important point of this journey is that the poet has made the readers see and observe and not think and analyze. This aspect of the poem has made it a literal journey toward spiritualism.

Technical Aspects of “Because I could not Stop for Death”

As far as the technical aspects of “Because I could not Stop for Death” are concerned, it is a remarkable poem not only from the view of its word choice but also from its rhythm and rhyme scheme. The poem comprises total six stanzas, each having five lines. The stanzas have been made balanced through the use of iambic tetrameter and trimester as each line has either four feet or three feet, making it have a good musical rhyme. The use of end rhyme and internal rhyme have further made it oscillate from the first to the second line and then move back and forth, strengthening its rhythmic quality further. With it, the poet has used very good figures of sounds such as the use of alliteration. The repetition of the sound of “c” ion the first line and “t” in the 24^th lines have balanced each line. Campbell, in his article, “Critical Perspectives on Selected Poems by Emily Dickinson”, says, “What holds the poem so remarkably taut is the steady, unruffled tone” (Campbell). This tone changes with the use of technical devices as the poet moves from one stanza to another. The first stanza shows that Emily Dickinson is happy to go on this journey with this gentleman named, Death. She seems fully confident. However, as the journey moves forward, she becomes confused in the third and fourth stanzas. In fact, this is the mention of some worldly things which seem to present her confusion about whether she is leaving this world happily or sadly. Death, in fact, is taking her toward her grave. However, she thinks it is immortality, while death is the actual death.

Conclusion

In short, this poem “Because I could not stop for Death” has made Emily Dickinson to be remembered as one of the best spiritual and mystical poets. She has written several poems and presented the concept of death in several other poems, but it has never been presented in such a gentle playful mood as in “Because I could not stop for death.” The poem has achieved the status of a classical poem on the basis of the use of images during the last journey. Different figures of speech such as the use of personification, metaphors, alliterations, paradoxes, and use of mechanics have accentuated the meanings of this spiritual journey. Further beauty has been added with technical devices such as the use of mechanics, rhyme scheme, rhythm, and above all its meter. In this connection, the efforts of the poet need appreciation because it is not easy to handle such a complicated theme in such a nice manner. Only an accomplished poet can bring smoothness and comprehension in such an abstruse piece of poetry. Emily Dickinson has done it remarkably and successfully.

Bibliography (in APA)

1. Campbell Dr. “Critical Perspectives on Selected Poems by Emily Dickinson.” WSU. Retrieved on March 15, 2016 from http://public.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/dickinsoncriticism.pdf.
2. Martin, W. (2014). All Things Dickinson: An Encyclopedia of Emily Dickinson’s World. ABC-CLIO. Print. 532-536.
3. Anderson, C.R. “On 712 (“Because I could not stop for Death”).” American Poetry. Retrieved on March 15 2016 from http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/dickinson/712.htm.
4. Dickinson, E. “Because I could not stop for Death.” Poetry Foundation. Retrieved on March 15, 2016 from http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/177119

Relevant Questions about “Because I could not stop for Death”

1. How does Emily Dickinson use personification and metaphor to portray Death as a courteous and patient suitor in “Because I could not stop for Death,” and what effect does this portrayal have on the poem’s tone and themes?
2. What is the significance of the journey and the various stops, such as the school, the grain field, and the setting sun, in “Because I could not stop for Death”? How do these stops contribute to the poem’s exploration of mortality and the afterlife?
3. Dickinson’s poem “Because I could not stop for Death” explores the concept of time and the inevitability of death. How does the poem address the theme of immortality and the enduring nature of the soul? What literary devices and imagery does Dickinson employ to convey these ideas?

Introduction to Albatross in “The Albatross” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”

Like the albatross in “The Albatross” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”, symbols in literature go beyond their intended meanings. It is up to the reader to extract meanings of his own choice but with reference to the poem or comparative study of the other pieces published in the same genre or other genres. The symbol could be a bird, an object, or even an animal. Albatross – a bird has found its usage as a symbol in several poetic pieces. It is interpreted in several ways in English poetry but it is quite strange that the same symbol has been used by two different poets in the same sense and representing the same meanings. Whereas Baudelaire’s albatross is the poet himself, an odd man out, the albatross of Coleridge represents something that is good, an innocent bird and even faultless. Yet both poets have concluded the same. The albatross in “The Albatross” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” represents goodness whereas, in the first poem, its defiance invites divine wrath, in other its derision demonstrates human stupidity.

Albatross in Coleridge

Albatross of Coleridge is someone like Christ. It is a faultless, and “innocent bird” (Saeed) because Biblical studies have also supported two facts about birds; the first one is that the Spirit of God takes the form of a bird, and the second is that birds are spiritual beings. When Coleridge says that “As if it had been a Christian soul, /We hailed it in God’s name. (Coleridge ll. 63-66)”. This is the point where the sailors want to shoot the bird. And they did but they are also sure that it is a “Christian soul” (66) and have nothing to do with some evil spirit or bad omen. This is exactly similar to what happens to Christ. The message of the murder of the albatross in this poem is to convey that human beings have always shunned or killed the messengers of God (Saeed) for it happened with Christ and it is happening with the poet in “The Albatross” as well where Baudelaire compares himself with albatross, a bird which is “kings of the sky” (Baudelaire 5) with “great wings” (6), seems quite ugly and comic now, and the sailors after catching him are playing tricks and making fun of it. Baudelaire has actually the same philosophy that the Urdu poet Iqbal has about the poets. He states in Urdu “a poet is a second messenger of God” (Iqbal) which means that though he is not a prophet, he is JHis representative to spread goodness, but people often kill prophets and turn a blind eye to the poets and here Baudelaire equals himself with the bird saying “The poet resembles this prince of cloud and sky” (Baudelaire 13). It leads to what is called the victimization of the bird by the sailors and the poet by the society. It means the albatross in “The Albatross” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” could be different.

Albatross in “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”

Society has always treated birds and poets both with derision and prophets with cruelty. In “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” they kill the bird. It means that they have killed the innocent, or the Christian soul (Saeed), and this killing of the bird was rather a stupidity of the worst kind as the Wedding-Guest had to say, “God save thee, ancient Marinere! / “From the fiends that plague thee thus.” (Coleridge I. 36-38). Michael Raiger compares this idea with several theological studies from Augustine’s doctrines to Milton’s Paradise Lost, saying this is an arbitrary action and it is a psychological issue that arbitrary action takes place when a person is either stupid or has lost sanity. The mariner involved in the killing of the bird himself says “…a saint took pity on / My soul in agony,” (Coleridge IV 11-12).  This mental condition borders insanity and intense despair. Hence this is the point where a person knowingly or unknowingly commits mistakes and demonstrates his stupidity. Similarly, the mob has also the same psyche and Baudelaire is fully aware of this mob psyche of either killing the prophets like sailors or torturing the poets with their stupid derision and neglect whereas a poet becomes “the butt of hoots and jeers” (Baudelaire 15). It is due to the reason that he preaches goodness and does the job of prophets. However, the poets cannot walk with the crowds and stand apart. They cannot mix with them like Albatross which looks beautiful from far off but is quite clumsy and awkward when caught. Similarly, the poet seems to be prevented “from walking” (16) by his “giant wings) (16) which here mean his thoughts. Peter Curman, a Swedish poet has also said the same thing about the poet in his poem “The Monastery Madman” saying that “They say he’s mad. / Anyone who has inside his head / A macro- or microcosm / Must be mad” (Curman 9-13) to support the claim of Coleridge and Baudelaire in the albatross in “The Albatross” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” for which they have used the symbol.

Conclusion

Concluding the argument, it is fair to state that the major objective of both poets was to prove the innocence of the albatross like the prophets and poets through the albatross in “The Albatross” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. And they have used this symbol to bring home their readers in which they have proved highly successful. Both have used this symbol as a representation of goodness and innocence that often becomes a victim of mass cruelty and human stupidity. The divine wrath that human beings invite is often the result of this defiance of innocent and goodness and victimization of sane souls such as prophets and messengers. Hence, the albatross in in “The Albatross” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” is a spiritual bird that brings a message of goodness.

Works Cited

1. Baudelaire, Charles. The Albatross. 2012. RPO. <http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poems/albatross>. Accessed 07 Dec. 2013.
2. Coleridge, Sameul Taylor. “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” n.d. Poetry Foundation. <http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/173253>. Accessed 07 Dec. 2013.
3. Curman, Peter. “The Monastery Madman.” n.d. TSWTC. <http://www.tswtc.org/documents/tsvetanka.htm>. Accessed 07 Dec. 2013.
4. Iqbal, Muhammad. Gabriel’s Wings. Lahore, Pakistan: Sang-e-Meel Publications, 1984.
5. Rogers, Michael. “I Shot the Albatross.” The Journal of the Friends of Coleridge 28 (2006): 73-82.
6. Saeed, Dr. Ismael Mohammadfahim. “The Bird Symbol in English Romantic and Post-Romantic Poetry.” n.d. IRCO. <http://www.ircoedu.uobaghdad.edu.iq/uploads/42/The%20Bird%20Symbol-Amended-%20Final.pdf.>. Accessed 07 Dec. 2013.

Relevant Questions in Albatross in “The Albatross” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”: Poet, Albatross, and Jesus

1. How do the portrayals of the albatross in “The Albatross” and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Charles Baudelaire respectively, serve to symbolize the poet’s message or the overarching themes in their respective works?
2. In “The Albatross” by Charles Baudelaire and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, how does the albatross hold significance within the context of the Christian allegory present in both poems, and how does it relate to the character of Jesus?
3. Analyzing the killing of the albatross in both “The Albatross” by Charles Baudelaire and “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, how does this pivotal event shape the moral and spiritual journey of the characters in each poem, and what commentary do the poets offer on human actions and their consequences through this shared symbol?